Suction holding means for dental plates.



F. W. WILSON.

SUCTION HOLDING MEANS FOR DENTAL PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18.1915.

1, 177,979. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

L Invendiom Frederick W 71418029,

FREDERICK w. WILSON, or wrnnr'rs', CALIFORNIA.

SUCTION HOLDING MEANS FOR DENTAL PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 67,573.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. WIL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Willits, in the county of Mendocino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in 'Suction Holding Means for Dental Plates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby as great a degree of vacuum as may be desired can be produced between a dental plate and the roof or gum of the mouth, and for a long period of time, requiring scarcely any attention on the part of the user of the plate on account of there being practically no leakage of air. 5

A further object is to reduce the size of the plate necessary to obtain the required adhesive force.

A still further object is to provide such means as will permit the suction to be applied in the most effective manner and which will be so located as not to inconvenience the wearer.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of an upper dental plate; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a valve; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of a lower dental plate; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4. p

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates an upper dental plate fitted accurately to the roof of the mouth. Extending the greater part of the length of the cavity 2 in the upper side of said plate is a groove or depres sion 3, so that, when the upper surface of the cavity fits tightly against the tissue of the roof of the mouth, the depression or groove forms with said tissue a chamber in which can be produced a partial vacuum. A slightly conical hole is formed through the center of the plate, its larger end communicating with said vacuum chamber and its smaller end communicating with the interior of the mouth below said plate. In this hole is secured by vulcanizing or otherwise a correspondingly conical valve casing 4. The outer end of the valve casing, opening into the mouth, is open, but the inner end,

opening into the vacuum chamber, is closed except for a small central aperture. Through said aperture extends the stem 6 of a valve 7 contained within the valve casing 4, a

spring 8 coiled around said stem being compressed between the closed end of the casing and the front end of the stem, to which said sprlng is secured. When said stem is extended to its fullest possible extent the valve is seated against the valve casing, being ground to fit tightly thereagainst. Also the stem fits snugly in the hole through which it passes. But, when the valve is drawn out against the pressure of the spring, a reduced portion 9 of'the stem registers with, or is immediately within, the hole in the valve casing, so that air can pass through said hole from the vacuum chamber. Thus the wearer of the plate, in order to secure it tightly to the roof of his mouth, has only to produce a partial vacuum in his mouth when the Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

such that, when the valve is closed, it is reand both of these vacuum chambers communicate with a valve casing 4 of precisely similar form to that already described and having a valve 7 therein likewiseof the same form, said casing and valve being, however, directed nearly vertically, instead of horizontally, as in the upper dental plate.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a dental plate with a valve and in which the suction is produced by the mere act of the wearer creating a vacuum in his mouth. But my invention combines in three important particulars, which Ihave found to be absolutely necessary to. a successful vacuum dental plate. First, the valve must be so placed as to be out of the reach of the wearers tongue. Second, the valve should lie in the direct line of the suction. Thus in the upper plate it will lie in a horizontal rearwardly extending direction, but in the lower plate it will lie in a nearly vertical direction since the suction takes this direction by reason of the front portion of the tongue forming the rear side, and the artificial teeth and inner surfaces of the gums forming the front side,.of the channel through which the suction takes place. Third, it is of greatest importance that the valve should be closed by means of a spring,

and for closing the valve, reliance must not .be placed upon the vacuum. It is found tion therethrough and communicating with the suction chamber, and a check valve in said hole.

3. In combination with a dental plate having a. suction chamber formed in its surface and a hole therethrough leading from said suction chamber to the roof of the mouth, a valve casing secured in said hole, a valve in said casing, and a spring pressing said valve to its seat.

4. In combination with a dental plate having a suction chamber formed in its sur face and a hole therethrough leading from said suction chamber to the roof of the mouth, a valve casing secured in said hole, a valve in said casing having a stem extending into said suction chamber, and a metallic spring coiled around said stem and pressing said valve to its seat.

5. In combination with a dental plate having a suction chamber formed in its sur face and a hole therethrough leading from said suction chamber to the roof of the month, a valve casing secured in said hole,

a round valve secured in said casing and having its outer end open, its inner end being closed except for a small central aperture, a conical valve having a stem extending through said aperture, and a spring coiled around said stem and compressed betwgen the end of the stem and said closed en In testimony whereof I have hereunto set mv hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. WILSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, D. B. Rrcnnnns. 

